Imperfection
by Jamersss
Summary: Rikku screwed up big time. Now it seems like everyone's against her! On the road to recovery, new, dramatic things keep getting thrown at her, and she can't help but to think, what is WRONG with my life? GippalRikku a bit OOC
1. Chapter 1

"Blub." -Dialogue.  
_Blub_ -Rikku's Thoughts

Enjoy the story 

Rain poured down hard on Rikku as she ran on Mushroom Rock Road. Tears mixed with rain, making a salted taste in her mouh. Heartbroken, she ran blindly, only aware of a few machina being corrupted by water, and unfourtunate people being soaked, like her.

She finally reached the tunnel that would lead her to Djose Temple.

She stopped under the puny tunnel and took a deep breathe. As should did so, she chocked on sobs, and cried more. 

_How did this happen to me? How did I let this happen? _

These thoughts ran through her mind as she curled up in a ball on the side of the tunnel. _Weak. _The word kept going through her mind. _I'm weak. _ Her curled fist hit the ground next to her hard as she yelled in frustration.

"Rikku?" A familiar voice called to her. Rikku's head snapped up and she gasped.

"G-Gippal!" She quickly got up off the ground and turned away from him.

_No way will I let him see me this weak. Never, ever._

"Are you alright?" He asked her, with a tiny amount of concern evident.

_Yeah, Dumb ass, I'm perfect._

"I'm fine, Gippal. What are you doing here?" A tear escaped her eye. Luckily to her, she was still turned from him. _What a stupid question. _ She shuddered slightly and realized she was still drenched.

"I kinda live down there. What are _you_ doing here?" He asked in with cocky 'I know everything' voice. Rikku rolled her eyes and started to walk away. 

"Hey! Princess! You know, that's rude to just leave-" Gippal tried to get out before a fierce voice interupted.

"Just _shut up_, Gippal! Can't you leave me alone?" She yelled and finally turned to him. Her eyes were red from crying, and her hair was a mess from the rain. Gippal looked surprised by her appearance but said nothing of it. Just gaped.

"What? Just leave!" She yelled and pushed him. He didn't budge an inch, just looked down at her strangely. "What's your problem!"

"Do you want to stay at the machina faction…?" He asked her warily, afraid of another outburst.

"Can I, please? I just can't go back to Besaid after what happened, and I should've known." She kept rambling on with little sobs still escaping. 

"Do you want to go or not?" He impatiently asked. She looked up at him and cried more. "Rikku, what's wrong with you?"

"I can't go back there. I really really can't!" She turned away from him and sighed.  
_  
I'm acting like such a baby._

"Go where?" He asked, trying to get her to face him.

"Besaid!" Rikku yelled. She was throughly annoyed, and majorly hurt. No way was staying with Gippal going to make that better.

"Never mind. I've changed my mind. I'll just go somewhere else." And she began to walk away.

The rain began to hit her again, but the tears almost stopped. She walked farther and thought to herself.

_I'm making such a big deal out of nothing…. Yunie's never going to even look at me again, though…_

"Rikku, wait!" Gippal yelled after her. She just hugged her waist and kept walking. She was freezing, and needed clothes. But she _wasn't_ staying with Gippal, and she _wasn't_ going back to Besaid. No way.

She began to pick up pace. If Gippal caught up with her, he'd fine someway to keep her at the faction.

_Where am I going to go? _ Her head screamed. She had no clue where to go, but with Gippal was not the place.

Besaid? Never could she see his face again without tearing up, or her's. She couldn't even think of them.

_:.:Flashback:.:_

Rikku walked into Tidus and Yuna's hut a few minutes after Yuna had left for Bevelle. Tidus was on the couch, and appeared asleep. 

"Tidus?" She asked quietly in her cheery voice.

"Mmmf?" Was his only response. He opened his eyes and saw her. 

"Rikku!" He instantly smiled. He sprung off the couch and hugged her. She laughed in his neck and pulled away.

"Guess what!" He said happily. She looked at him quizziclly and took it as the symbol to continue. "Yuna is gone for the weekend, which means it's all ours!" He said and kissed her.

"Whoop!" She cheered instantly and jumped onto Tidus and pushed him onto the couch. She giggled and kissed him.

This went on for about a half hour, until Rikku decided to go home.

"Tidus, I really should go," She giggled. "I have to go soon, and-"

He cut her off by kissing her again. "Okay!" She cheerfully stated. "I'll stay!"

By that time, both of their worse nightmare came true.

:.:End :.:

She walked blindly, not taking note of the foot steps behind her. She stoped and looked up at the sky.

_There's no signs of the rain stopping soon…_

"Cid's Girl." Gippal said suddenly, causing her to jump. She angrily huffed once the voice registered in her mind. _Why'd he follow me?_

"…Don't you have a job or something?" She yelled, not turning around. She rubbed her eyes and sniffed, waiting for the answer.

"I know there's something wrong, Cid's Girl." He answered annoyed.

"What was your first clue!" Rikku screamed and turned around. She saw his annoyed expression and growled. "If your so mad about this, why are you _still_ following me?"

"Maybe I'm worried. And maybe I'm annoyed you because you won't fess up why your bawling you eyes out!" He answer back. She crossed her arms and frowned at him.

"Gippal, you never cared! Your just nosy, and if I did go to the Machine Faction, you'd just all _Yuna._" 

"…Is there a problem with Yuna?"

She turned around and wiped away another tear.

_Can't be weak…_

"Rikk, I know your crying. Don't even bother to hide it!" She said and pushed her to face him.

"I'm going to go to Besaid… to get my stuff. Then I'll come back…"

He softened. He didn't really expect her to come with him.

"I'll get a room ready."

end.

This was going to be a one-shot, but I decided against it. Please review, and, tell me if I should continue. I think it kinda sucks :-P but, that's fine. At least I'm trying, right:-P Kay, till next time, SEE YYYA!


	2. Chapter 2

Oh! I'm so sorry I haven't updated in the longest time! I'm so uninspired! ) I should go play FF X-2 for a few hours. But first! I have to write you guys (Who are actually reading…) an update!

Read and review, please!

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Around midnight, Rikku snuck into Besaid, hoping to get out as soon as possible. It was scarier at night, and she could hear the fiends breathing, it was so quiet. She took a deep breath, and went off at a sprint to her hut.

There was no doubt Tidus and Yuna were fighting. She could hear the yells, shouts, and sobs. It terrified her that she caused it, and on free will. 

She heard words like "Home wrecker," "Man whore", "Slut," and it broke her heart. Very un-Yunie-like words. It was about her. Her Yunie was calling her a home wrecker and slut?

She felt the adrenaline. Her hands were shaking, and sobs were ready to explode from her. _ I knew this would happen. I'm so **stupid!**_

Being as quiet as she could, she crept into her hut, only right next to Yuna's. Rikku picked up bag and started throwing random dress sphere's in there. Yuna and Tidus had stopped screaming, and whispered rumors were heard throughout the rest of the village.

Yuna was sniffing and hiccuping while Tidus was 'shhh'ing her.

"Come on Yuna, you know I love only you."

And that was a pang in the heart for Rikku.

Yuna and Tidus didn't say anything anymore, but she knew their fight wasn't over yet. She and betrayed her Yunie's trust, and Paine would see it the same. Was it possible she lost both her best friends in the same night?

_Dammit.**  
**_

Looking around, she said good-bye to what she called her home.

_I_ _screwed up everything…_

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

**  
**

"Gippal?" Rikku said into her phone receiver (1). "Can you come pick me up? I'm ready."

"I'm here now, so hurry up," He said back. She thanked him and hung up her phone. Carelessly and quickly, she shoved it back into her pocket as she made a quick getaway to the beach. When she crossed one of the many bridges, she decided not to cry about this anymore.

_At least in front of Gippal, anyway. I'm 'happy-go-lucky Rikku! I can have any of this crying messing up my image! _ The usually optimistic girl thought with her first smile that weekend.

She saw Gippal's airship near the dock and waved. Excitedly jumped onto the long ramp to get on and waited for the mechanical door to open.

"Finally!" She blurted as it slowly did. Gippal was sitting in the controlling seat poking around at a few buttons.

"Hey princess! You sound oddly cheery!" He said without looking back.

She wiped a last tear off her cheek and put on one of those faux-smiles she was so good at.

"Well, I gotta get back to Rikku-ness! I'm leaving Besaid aren't I? And I'll make she my problems stay there!" She said with a nod and walked up and placed a hand on the back of his seat. "Thanks, Gippal!"

"For what?" He asked. He kept poking at the little buttons and staring intently at the screen.

"Weren't you listening at all to me?" She asked with a very demented –Rikku like- smirk.

"Hmm? I'm sorry, I'm not really listening…" He replied.

"Typical!" She whacked him in the back of the head.

And of course, that got his attention.

"What'd you hit me for!" He yelled animatedly. Rikku 'aughed' and forced a giggle.

I better not get Gippal mad at me too… 

"I was sayin' thanks, but I guess now I'm gonna take it back…" She trailed off and sat in the seat next to him.

"'Kay."

"You were supposed to care, ya know!" Pouting, now.

"Go get some sleep in the cabin Rikki. I gotta call your pops, and I think it'd be better he didn't know you were staying at the Faction." He reasoned, and went back to ignoring her.

"Why not?" She asked curiously. He pops wouldn't mind if she were helping Gippal out.

And he kept ignoring her.

"Surly someone'll notice and tell pops," she reasoned with him.

He waved her off.

How rude! Why won't he talk to me…? Oh! Oh no! What if he knows what I did to Yuna? 

"Fine! Meanie!" Rikku stuck her tongue out at him and walked up the short ramp to the cabins. "When are we gonna get to Djose?" She tried to get him to talk to her.

"Around six. AM, of course. So get some sleep, because I'll be waking you up when we get there." He smirked at her, knowing her weaknesses.

Why's he talking to me now? And why's he…smirking…? WAIT A SECOND… 

"Six in the morning!"

Now of course, being a princess had it's many benefits. And of course, her favorite was sleeping in. Six AM was not a time for Rikku Highwind to wake up. And _of course, _Gippal knew that. He grew up with her!

Is he doing this to me on purpose? 

"You know you won't be staying there for free, Princess. You're going to work for me!" He turned and smirk at her. "So rest up, Cid's Girl! You're going to need it."

_So, I see he didn't grow out of his cockiness. Not that anyone expected him to._

"I never agreed to work for you!" She childishly argued.

"Hey, I can always drop you right back off at Besaid."

"Uhm… Don't do that," Rikku asked. A desperate tone was laced through her words. Gippal looked at her closely and noticed she wasn't playing anymore.

"What's so bad about Besaid anyway, Rikki? You never told me," He asked. By the tone of his voice, he obviously expected an answer. An answer Rikku was sure she would never give him.

_I don't need him to think I'm a 'slut,' or HOMEWRECKER, either._

"Don't worry, Gip! I'm gonna go get some sleep now."

Come on Rikku; throw on your fake smile now! 

It was routine by now. She put on the fake smile. Gippal, not really believing her, eyed her smile. He kept looking for a few moments and it never left.

How does he always know there's something wrong with me? He could tell since we were little. It doesn't matter anyway, I won't tell him. How long am I supposed to keep this smile on?

"Can I stop smiling now please?"

He shrugged and went back to his seat, and she went to bed.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

The loud clunk of Al Bhed made shoes were heard pounding loudly across the airships metal floors. Rikku noticed the dim light of the sun coming up and groaned. She could easily put two and two together. Rikku was being woken up. At six AM.

"Come on Princess! Get your ass outta bed!"

Rikku sputtered a few incoherent words and flipped the blankets off of her body. In true Rikku nature, she rolled out of bed. Literally.

"Nice outfit," Gippal 'complimented' coolly. Rikku looked down and blushed immediately.

Well this is a nice way to wake up… 

Rikku's beautiful outfit consisted of her normal yellow thong, which gave Gippal a _perfect_ view of her ass. She fiercely grabbed for the blanket and rolled herself up in it.

"Or lack of." Gippal added on to his previous comment in a very smart-ass tone.

"Get out of here! Perv!" She cried right after his sentence. Her didn't comply to her order though, and just continued to smirk at her.

"Your hair looks lovely too." He winked and chose now to walk out of the room.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

It's been awhile since I updated, but at least I did.

Please review, because I won't update without at least a few reviews…


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks people! I was completely surprised by the amount of nice reviews I got. I LOVE YOU ALL! Now, I'll continue the story 'cause ya'll have been waiting so long. Sorry!

Disclaimer: The usual. I own positively nothing. Way to make me feel better about my great moneyless situation. )

Chapter 3 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Rikku felt empty again.

As she was getting ready (at six in the morning, mind you. Damn you Gippal!) she realized Gippal was right, and her hair looked horrid. And to add to the horribly horrid look of the hair, it was completely and utterly dysfunctional.

Don't be confused though, because her hair isn't what made Rikku feel that dreadful empty feeling. It was the fact that when her hair was like this (surprisingly often…) she would ask her cousin -and best friend- to help he fix it. Right now, she needed all the female help in the world and Gippal surely wouldn't be able to provide it.

_I have a feeling this is going to happen very often in the future. _She thought bitterly.

Rikku hated herself again, for about the billionth time in the last few days. She knew it was all her fault but she couldn't help but feel sorry for herself, and for that, she hated herself even more. She lost Yunie, Paine, and Tidus whom she loved.

_Who am I kidding? Loving Tidus? Bullshit. He didn't give a damn about me._

And this was true.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"Gippal, I'm sure I'll regret this, but can you help me?" Rikku asked desperately. She knew this was low. Asking a guy (one with grease stains on his hands, no less) for _help_ with her _hair. _She inwardly grimaced when he turned around with a smirk.

"Well, you have the clothes on now, not that I minded them off, but your hair only got worse," he acknowledged her.

He'll get a kick out of this… 

"Yeah, I know. That's what I need help with. My hair," she said lamely.

_Well the words seemed right in my head._

"You want me to help you with your hair?" He asked incredulously. "Me?"

"Oh Yevon! Never mind!" she stalked off. Slamming the door to her cabin, she collapsed on the ground next to it. She cried against her own will.

Why am I such a screw up! 

The door suddenly flung open, pushing Rikku facedown on the floor and snapping her out of her thoughts. She gasped and tried to dry her tears.

"Were you crying again, Princess?" Gippal asked when she didn't face him.

"Of course not, why would you say that?" Rikku retorted quickly, trying not to act suspicious.

"You're not facing me. When you cry, you don't want people to know," he stated simply.

"Don't act like you know me! You know nothing about me!" she yelled and turned around. The outburst was sudden, and made Gippal step back almost immediately.

_Who am I kidding? Gippal knows almost every aspect of my life._

"Are you drunk?" he asked slowly, as if he were afraid to ask.

"No, no. Can you just leave?" She asked. He looked skeptical, but went on anyway.

"I know you more than Cid does, Princess, and you know it. Now wash your face, and get to the faction." Rikku could almost sense the hurt in his voice, but he hid it well.

"Yeah, well if you know me so damn well, use my name!" She shouted as he slammed the door.

"Fuck you, _Rikku_."

There was no hiding the hurt now.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Though her hair wasn't in its natural beauty, it looked much better than it did during her earlier conflict with Gippal, or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named as her childish side decided to call him. (No relations with any Harry Potter names, mind you…)

She walked out of _his_ airship and sighed. It wasn't six AM anymore, obviously, but seven thirty was still much to early for her.

But not too early for the faction.

Everyone was already working, tinkering, off digging, and taking orders from a shouting Gippal.

Rikku walked up to him reluctantly, but before she could say anything, he started.

"Talk to Nhadala, you're working for her now."

She rolled her eyes and huffed.

"Nhadala is in Bikanel," she said.

"Go to Nhadala."

_Now I have even him against me._

"No, I'm not going all the way to Bikanel. I work for you."

"Are you deaf? I said go to Nhadala, or you'll end up right back in Besaid," and with that, he turned around and started barking orders.

"Never mind Gippal, I'm not working for you or Nhadala," she said quietly.

"Then leave."

"Gippal, come on, why are you being like this?" She felt like breaking the dam of tears again at the thought of returning to Besaid.

"I'm not going to stand here and tell you everything. I have to work."

"Come on, I don't want to have to beg you."

"It's to late, Princess."

"You wanna know why I was crying?" She asked with a hopeful face.

If it's the only way… 

"No not really."

"Good-bye, Gippal," Rikku said and turned around, but not before she ran into someone.

"Oh hey Rikku! I was looking for you. The hover's about to leave."

"Nhadala?" Rikku asked, astonished.

Oh, so she was here the whole time… 

"...Yes…"

"What are you _doing_ here?" she asked, and it came out rather mean, surprising Nhadala.

"Gippal told me you were working for me and to pick you up on the hover." Nhadala explained carefully, like she thought Rikku was crazy.

"He could have told me that!" and with that, Rikku stomped over to the hover.

Once Nhadala got over to the hover, Rikku pouted.

"Cid's going to be there. He said he wanted to talk to you," Nhadala told her while climbing onto the hover.

"Oh, what for this time?" Rikku asked angrily. Her father always wanted useless things from her.

"He wouldn't tell me. It's most likely private, and you know how Cid gets."

The hover ride took awhile, but it was comforting for Rikku to be able to see her home again. _I've been gone from here way to long. I should have come back awhile ago. _And though this was true, she was going to be thinking _much_ different thoughts when she went to tlak to her dear father.


End file.
